Things To Do / Sponsored
24 things to do in Bristol this week, June 19-25 2023
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Monday-Thursday: Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, Watershed
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Monday: Ceramic Vase Pottery Workshop, West Street
Create your own ceramic vase, learning the basics of hand crafting pottery, using pinching and coiling techniques. You’ll be able to put your own stamp on your design, too, with various paints, stamps and techniques, and 4-6 weeks later you will be able to come pick up your fired design to take home.
Create your own hand crafted ceramic vase with Yuup – photo: Yuup
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Monday-Saturday (On screen Thursday-Saturday): Anna Karenina, Bristol Old Vic
Tolstoy’s masterpiece reimagined for the stage. A heartbreaking story of relationships, marriage, and betrayal, Lesley Hart’s boldly theatrical adaptation brings the language bang up to date, while Polina Kalinina’s direction sweeps you up in the breathtaking pace of the story and places no limits on opulence, decadence and, above all, passion.
Anna Karenina at Bristol Old Vic – photo: Bristol Old Vic
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Until Thursday: Pretty Red Dress, Watershed
The debut feature from writer and director Dionne Edwards, Pretty Red Dress has breakthrough performances from Natey Jones, newcomer Temilola Olatunbosun, and the chart-topping singer and West End actor Alexandra Burke in her first film role.
Tuesday: Queertech Bristol: Summer Picnic, Castle Park
The ever-growing in popularity meetup for queer identifying people working in the tech industry takes a change from its usual Watershed location, moving to Castle Park for a (fingers crossed) sunny excursion, where you can meet new people, chat current projects, and just generally soak up the vibes.
Castle Park – photo: Martin Booth
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Now-July 3: Feeling, Hearing & Dancing with Colour Exhibition by Laurel Smart, The Mount Without
Laurel has been painting all her life but only concentrating on Abstract Expression for the last five years. She has developed a distinctive style which has it’s roots in the quality of the paint, mark making and, most importantly, the emotional impact of colour.
Laurel works large, the canvas is her landscape. Every inch of space is carefully considered and populated with loose, energetic marks. Her works mostly sing and dance, but sometimes they are quieter and just hum.
Laurel’s work takes time to see, ever changing in different lights and revealing itself over time. These paintings will not be hurried. They take months to complete and hours to fully appreciate.
The Mount Without Crypt – photo: The Mount Without
Wednesday: Dizraeli & Guests, Strange Brew
The Bristol based poet/instrumentalist brings his unique, thought provoking sound to the Fairfax Street community arts space/venue. Supported by some of the most exciting acts bubbling up in the city right now, this one will be a lesson in expertly crafted, strongly rooted melodies and lyrics.
Thursday: Rastafari Culture Centre Fundraiser, St Pauls Learning Centre
Bring your favourite reggae records down to help raise money for Grosvenor Road’s Rastafari Culture Centre, including repairs to the building and the money for it to be purchased into community ownership.
St Paul’s Learning Centre – photo: Ellie Pipe
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Thursdays: Summer Lates Series, SS Great Britain
Thursdays are set to be the biggest night of the week this summer as the Summer Lates Series at Brunel’s SS Great Britain returns for 2023 with eight dockyard gigs scheduled from 15 June. They’re hosting twice the number of events with even more exciting music to discover at Bristol’s most unique gig location. Expect live bands, a summer BBQ and local beers for the perfect summer evening.
This year they’re partnering with Coffee Club Bristol, who have been putting on some of the city’s best alternative gigs since 2013, to provide the best line up yet.
Summer Lates Series at the SS Great Britain – photo: SSGB photography
Friday: Bristol Sounds: James, Lloyds Amphitheatre
Running from Wednesday to Sunday this week, Bristol Sounds hosts a range of top artists performing headline shows on the harbour, supported by some exciting local acts. This Friday it’s the turn of Manchester bred rock group James, supported by Emily Breeze and The Kairos – both names to keep your eyes on if they aren’t already.
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Thursday: After Hours, RWA
Join us for our next After Hours event, a wonderful opportunity to visit the galleries after closing and soak up the atmosphere and art with drinks, music and creative activities. Enjoy the view from our balcony which really is quite stunning. Come straight after work with friends, and meet new, like-minded people, or surprise your partner with a very special date night. We’re delighted to have special live performances of music (artist to be announced soon!) and spoken word from Malizah. Thursday 22 June 2023, 6-9 pm. Tickets £9 / £6 concessions. The ticket price includes a free drink on arrival.
After Hours Exhibition – photo: RWA
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Friday: Bristol Beacon Presents: Amanda Shires, Exchange
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Amanda Shires has made an extraordinary career out of pursuing her deepest instincts and passions. Since getting her start playing fiddle with the legendary Texas Playboys at the young age of 15, she has brought her nuanced songwriting and boundless originality to a series of critically acclaimed solo albums, collaborated with the likes of John Prine and Justin Townes Earle, toured with such acts as Todd Snider, and earned the 2017 Emerging Artist of the Year prize from the Americana Music Association (AMA). Very limited tickets remain for her performance at Exchange.
Saturday-July 9: Queer Vision Film Festival, Various Locations
Its pride season, and what better way to get geared up for the festivities than a series of screenings of some of the best LGBT+ films from the UK and further afield. Screened across some of the city’s most recognisable spots, there’s something for everyone with a diverse array of pictures to choose from.
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Saturday: Stand Up For The Weekend with GARRETT MILLERICK and GUESTS, Hen & Chicken Studio
Garrett Millerick is an acclaimed stand up comedian, writer and director. His unique and versatile style has led to him being in great demand on the alternative and club circuits both in the UK and internationally and he recently made his television debut performing stand-up on the hit US late-night talk show Conan (TBS).
“Stand up with an insolent twist” The Guardian
“He’s the comic that other comics want to be. Thoroughly recommended, he’s my pick of the Fringe so far. Brilliant.” Three Weeks
“A virtuoso display of unforgivingly grumpy stand up delivered with fire in his soul” Chortle
“Wickedly Funny” The Scotsman
Garrett Millerick at the Hen & Chicken – photo: The Comedy Box
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Sunday: Community Taster Day as part of Bristol Refugee Festival, Bristol Old Vic
Adult English and drama workshops, children’s drama workshops, craft activities and migration themed tours in celebration of Bristol Refugee Festival. There will also be a stand selling Homemade, an iced tea syrup made by a group of women with refugee and migrant experience, in association with Bristol Old Vic. All activities free of charge and drop-in, but tours and workshops can be booked in advance.
Bristol Refugee Festival – photo: Bristol Old Vic
Sunday: Sunday Market, Tobacco Factory
As the summer really starts to kick in, the urge to get down to the Tobacco Factory’s ever popular Sunday Market becomes stronger and stronger. With wares and eats from some of South Bristol’s finest, is there really a nicer way to spend a sunny Sunday morning?
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And coming soon…
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June 27: Dark Alchemy Presents: Dead Space Chamber Music, The Mount Without
Dead Space Chamber Music are an experimental early music quartet of voice, guitar, cello and drums from Bristol UK. They reinterpret historical material, particularly from the medieval and Renaissance periods, taking forms and melodies that are hundreds of years old and shapeshifting them into highly emotive and atmospheric contemporary works.
The band has earned enthusiastic reviews for their shows having previously supported The Danse Society, Cold in Berlin and Rose McDowell. In November 2022 they joined hackedepicciotto (Alexander Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten and Danielle de Picciotto of Crime & The City Solution) on the UK dates of their European tour. In May 2023 they will hit the road as a duo of voice / guitar to join virtuoso cellist and composer Jo Quail on her upcoming UK tour.
Dark Alchemy at The Mount Without – photo: The Mount Without
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June 27: Bristol Beacon Presents: Oscar Blue, The Crofters Rights
Influenced at a formative age by the passion and integrity of Irish folk icons such as Damien Dempsey and the contemporary indie/rock sound of bands like Snow Patrol, Oscar Blue is an emerging artist with a passion for storytelling. Invoking an unsuspectingly familiar sense of belonging, attachment and nostalgia, Oscar’s songwriting transports listeners to some other place or feeling, meditating on his experience of life in an instinctively honest and uninhibited style. Support comes from Bristol-based artist Purpl.
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June 28-July 1: Godot Is A Woman, Tobacco Factory Theatres
Since Beckett wrote Waiting for Godot, he and his estate have notoriously challenged – often legally – non-male companies that wish to perform it. Godot is a Woman ran at the Pleasance London in 2021 to rapturous audiences and critical acclaim before transferring to the Pleasance at Edinburgh Fringe in 2022, where the show enjoyed sold-out audiences, award nominations and multiple 5-star reviews.
Godot Is A Woman at Tobacco Factory Theatres – photo: Tobacco Factory Theatres
Opens July: Beyond Submergence, Propyard
Wondering what a 20,000sq. ft. immersive experience looks like? Step into Beyond Submergence this summer, a world-first exhibition of light & sound by Squidsoup, brought to Bristol by the team behind Four Tet’s immersive live performances dubbed ‘the best live show in the world’ by Mixmag. Take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, discover the host of events taking place in the exhibition space and find out how to book below.
Beyond Submergence, Propyard – photo: Propyard
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July 3-9: Playable City, Across Bristol
Watershed, in partnership with MyWorld, are inviting you to play in Bristol for Playable City Week. From 3 – 9 July, six playful creative technology prototypes will pop up at various locations around Bristol, designed to animate the city, fire imagination and spark vital conversations around inclusion, surveillance, climate change and the kind of cities we want to live in.
Playable cities – photo: Watershed
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Deadline July 5: 170 Annual Open Exhibition submissions open
Now in its 170th year, this exciting show is one of the highlights of the RWA exhibition calendar. As the name suggests, anyone can enter their work for this show, we encourage artists working in all disciplines, at any point in their creative career. In previous years the show has included painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, film, sculpture, textiles, architecture, digital art, and more. The entry deadline is 5 July 2023. Submit your work NOW!
Submissions now open for the RWA 170th Annual Open – photo: RWA
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July 14-16: The Snail and the Whale, Redgrave Theatre
Tall stories present this amazing story of an adventurous young girl and her seafaring father as they reimagine the story of a tiny snail’s incredible trip around the world, inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved picture book. Tickets: £15.25 / Children £13.25 Age recommendation 4+
The snail and the whale at Redgrave Theatre – photo: Redgrave Theatre
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July 15: MANIC, Tobacco Factory Theatres
Sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart-breaking, MANIC is a solo show from Raina Greifer that combines spoken word, puppetry, theatre, comedy and one very awkward encounter with a cheese string as she explores questions about bad sex, drunk sex, and the grey areas of consent.
Manic at Tobacco Factory Theatres – photo: Tobacco Factory Theatres
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July 17: Lady Bunny, Redgrave Theatre
After a sold out tour in 2022, the leggy and fabulous Lady Bunny returns to the UK. The good time Sally of salacious song and story will tantalise and titillate you… she may even traumatise you. Either way, Lady Bunny is going to show you a good time. Tickets: £20.75 Age recommendation 16+ (under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).
Lady Bunny at Redgrave Theatre – photo: Redgrave Theatre
Main Photo: Ania Shrimpton
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